'Ku Klux Klan golliwog hanging' man jailed

A man who posted online videos of himself dressed in a Ku Klux Klan costume while hanging a life-sized golliwog doll, has been jailed.

Christopher Philips, 24, pleaded guilty to intending to stir up racial hatred by posting three offensive YouTube videos and was jailed for 12 months.

The images showed him in Klan garb posing with a man-sized golliwog doll, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Judge John Warner described the videos as "thoroughly offensive".

'Very strong feelings'

The court was previously told that Philips, formerly known as Darren Clifft, posted the videos three days after they were filmed at a music concert in Swansea in March 2012.

He was arrested later that month by officers from the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.

Judge Warner told him at a hearing in October: "The three videos you have admitted uploading are the sort of material that attracts very strong feelings in certain sections of the community."

Philips, under the names of 'Clansman of the West Midlands Infidels' and 'Klansman Klifft' on his social media accounts, had used Facebook and Twitter to write "offensive" comments, the prosecution said.

These included posting 'Happy Breivik Day' on the first anniversary of the 2011 Norway attacks by Anders Breivik.

Philips, from Wolverhampton, had denied a further charge of using words or behaviour with the likelihood of inciting racial hatred and this was allowed to lie on file.